Finding homes for all

The following guest editorial was provided by Roy Campbell of Habitat for Humanity Halton.

On Thursday (Nov. 22), Halton and communities across the country will mark National Housing Day, a time that is meant to reflect on the importance of adequate housing in the lives of all people.

Habitat for Humanity Halton is a proud and enthusiastic supporter of this day. In Halton, many of us are blessed with comfortable housing and high standards of living, but very often we overlook the difficulties facing those in our own communities.

According to Statistics Canada, about 501,699 people live in Halton and one in nine of us lives below the low-income level.

The 2008 Housing Report for Halton Region shows that about 1,200 Halton residents become homeless every year due to a lack of affordable housing.

About 2,000 low-income residents are waiting for housing. In one of the wealthiest regions in the country, this is shocking data.

The challenges facing low-income residents are often made worse by the fact that housing prices are very high and continue to rise. The average home in Burlington and Oakville costs $400,000.

As housing costs go up, low-income households are spending more and more of their income on housing or rent.

According to Community Development Halton, 1-in-6 family households in the region spends 30 per cent or more of its income on shelter costs.

Habitat for Humanity Halton believes all people should have access to affordable housing no matter where they live.

Since its foundation, HFHH has worked to make Halton a place where everyone can afford to own a simple, decent home. Our model is simple. We provide hard-working families in need with the chance to own a home that is affordable for them.

Each partner family pays for their home with an interest-free mortgage and contributes 500 hours of work (or sweat equity) to Habitat’s programs.

The money made from each mortgage is used to fund another house. Partner families are able to spend much less of their income on housing costs and more on building equity. Habitat’s programs provide a hand up, not a hand out, creating stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger economy.

Since 2001, Habitat for Humanity Halton has helped 65 people in 17 Halton families to own their own home, end their dependency on social housing subsidies and become taxpayers who contribute between $1,500 and $3,000 each year in property taxes while still having money left over to pay for nutritious food, schooling and healthier living.

Together with volunteers, governments and corporate partners across the region, Habitat is working to make affordable housing a reality for everyone in our community.

Starting in 2013, Habitat for Humanity Halton is embarking on a plan to build 10 homes per year in the region, increasing dramatically the number of families who can benefit from Habitat programs.

This National Housing Day residents are encouraged to join with others in our community to make our towns and cities affordable, safe and decent places to live for everyone.